Golf-ball.



. Pa tented May 27,1902. E. KEMPSHALL.

GOLF BALL.

(Application-filed Apr. 21, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSHALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,945, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed April 21,1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, acitizen of the United States, residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing-balls; and its principal object is to provide a strengthened shell, so as to adapt the ball to severe usage, as received in the game of golf.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a part-sectional view of a completed ball made in accordance with my present improvements. Fig. 2 is a partsectional view showing the shell at one stage in the process of manufacture. Fig. 3 is a view of a fragment of cel luloid cord. Fig. at shows the final step in the process of manufacture.

In the several views similar parts are designated by similar characters of reference.

For a center piece I preferably use a sphere 1 of gutta-percha, which is inclosed in a thick rubber spherical envelop 2, said centerpiece and envelop together forming the fillingof the ball. Upon this filling I Wind continuously in different directions and under tension a cord consisting of twine,wire, or fibrous material 3 and sheathed with plastic material 4, the sheathing preferably consisting of celluloid and being very thick, or, in other words, the cord consists of celluloid 4, havinga core 3 of twine or wire. WVhile winding on said cord it is preferably heated, so that it is plastic and so that the cords where they cross may adhere one to another and the whole may become compacted into a substantially solid shell, as indicated at A, Fig. 2. While said shell is still hot I may give it a preliminary compression between dies 5 and 6, (indicated at Fig. 2 in dotted lines,) although such preliminary compression is not essential in all cases. By this means the wound shell may be somewhat compacted and given asubstantiallysphericalform. The pressure of the dies 5 and-6 may be maintained until the shell hardens, so that the latter may hold the filling under permanent compression. This wound-shell ball I place between finishin g-dies 7 and 8, (indicated at Fig. 4,) whereby Serial No. 103|936, (No model.)

the shell is heated and rendered plastic and given its final compression, the pressure being maintained until the shell hardens. By this means the celluloid portions of the shell are compacted together, while the twine, wire, or fibrous material 3 serves as a continuous ligament to prevent rupture of the shell. Thus I obtain all the advantages of a celluloid shell for a golf-ball, while overcoming its liability to crack or rupture when subjected to severe usage.

By having the twine 3 and the celluloid sheathing 4 of the right proportions and winding a shell of proper thickness su iiicient twine may be incorporated into the shell to render the ball comparatively dead to a light blow, while not impairing the flying qualities of the ball when given a hard drive.

It is not essential in all cases that the sheathing 4 be hardened after its application to the twine 3 and before the winding thereof upon the ball. It is desirable,however, to wind the celluloid cord as compactly as possible, so as to make a substantially solid mass before being compressed in the dies.

It will be seen that all of the fibrous material.3 in the shell is utilized in strengthening the same, so that the shell is rendered sufliciently tough for the game without having so much fibrous material therein as to reduce the liveliness of the ball when given a hard knock. It will be seen that in the completed shell the twine 3 is promiscuously mingled with and em bedded in the celluloid, said twine extending throughout the shell, which, it will be noted,

is substantially continuous or jointless, and hence to be distinguished from shells made of hemispheres which are welded together.

In using the term celluloid herein I mean to include its equivalents, such as the derivatives and modifications of pyroxylin.

' Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprisingasubstantial shell which consists of windings of celluloid cord, said cord consisting of celluloid having a core of twine, and being wound continuously in different directions and compacted together.

2. A playing-ball comprising a filling and a shell thereon; said shell consisting of wind piece, a soft-rubber sphere thereon, and a. shell constructed of celluloid cord wound continuously in diiferent directions and compacted; said cord consisting of celluloid having a core of twine.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL.

Witnesses:

B. O. STIOKNEY, JOHN O. SEIFERT.

ings of cord, and said cord consisting of plastic material having a core of twine and being wound continuously in difierent directions and welded and packed together.

3. A playing-ball comprising a core and a continuous shell holding said core under compression; said shell consisting of compacted windings of cord, and said cord consisting of celluloid having a. core of twine.

4. A playing-ball comprising a hard center 

